Black Gram Bean Seeds (Vigna mungo) | Black Matpe / Urad

Grow Black Gram for Your Kitchen Garden

Black gram, also known as Black Matpe or Urad, is Vigna mungo, a warm-season legume valued for its mature beans. Grow a dry-bean harvest for cooked dishes inspired by traditional South Asian cuisine, from hearty dal to recipes using soaked and ground beans.

Product details

• Botanical name: Vigna mungo
• Common names: Black gram, Black Matpe, Urad, black mung bean
• Crop: Warm-season bean grown for mature seeds
• Kitchen use: Harvested beans for thoroughly cooked dishes
• Product supplied: Seeds for planting

Despite the shared common name “mung bean,” black gram is distinct from green mung bean. This listing describes Vigna mungo rather than treating the two crops as interchangeable.

Planting your seeds

Direct sow after frost risk has passed and the soil is warm. Choose a sunny location with well-draining soil. Sow approximately 1 inch deep, allowing room between plants and rows for airflow and harvesting. Keep soil evenly moist during establishment without waterlogging.

Growing and care

Keep weeds under control while plants establish. Water as needed during dry weather and pod development, adjusting for rainfall and soil conditions. Avoid excessive feeding and follow the directions on any suitable garden fertilizer. Harvest timing varies with climate and growing conditions.

Harvesting dry beans

Collect mature pods as they dry and darken. Shell the beans after the pods are dry, then finish drying the beans thoroughly before storage. If wet weather threatens the crop, finish drying harvested pods in a sheltered, well-ventilated location.

Kitchen preparation and safety

Cook harvested beans thoroughly before eating. These packets are supplied as planting seeds, not ready-to-eat food or seeds verified for raw sprouting. Do not eat the planting seeds raw. Use reliable food-preparation instructions when cooking your harvested crop.

Available quantities

Choose from 1 ounce, 1/4 pound, 1 pound, 4 pounds, or 10 pounds. All options are sold by weight, not a guaranteed seed count.